Theme: A Winning Hand - Most of the time, four kings will take the pot.
20A. 33/63-Across, in golf : ARNOLD PALMER
28A. 33/63-Across, in stock car racing : RICHARD PETTY
45A. 33/63-Across, in swing music : BENNY GOODMAN
54A. 33/63-Across, in rock 'n' roll : ELVIS PRESLEY
33A/63A. With 63-Across, nickname for four immortals in this puzzle : THE and 63-Across. See 33-Across : KING
Argyle here, among the royalty. Our second puzzle from Steven and he's come through again. (His first one). Amazing all four names had the same numbers of letters. A pangram, too!
Across:
1. Indian royals : RAJAs
6. Pulitzer-winning columnist Maureen : DOWD. Columnist on The New York Times.
10. Popular British brew : BASS
14. Kuwaiti neighbor : IRAQI
15. Albany-to-Buffalo canal : ERIE
16. Game point, in tennis : AD IN
17. Make a case : ARGUE
18. Actor Kilmer et al. : VALs
19. Not common : RARE
23. Kirby Puckett and Mickey Mantle, by pos. : CFs. Centerfielders.
26. Tech sch. near Albany : RPI. Across the Hudson in Troy. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
27. Withered with age : WIZENED
31. See 7-Down : EXAM 7-Down. With 31-Across, postgraduate test : ORAL
32. Words with a nod : "I SEE"
36. Mark replacements : EUROS
38. Ran into : MET
39. West Indies native : CARIB. They are an Amerindian people whose origins lie in the southern West Indies and the northern coast of South America.
41. Secretly watch, with "on" : SPY
42. Holler's partner : HOOT
44. 2011 Libyan arms embargo enforcement gp. : NATO
49. Climbed on : BOARDED
52. Imperfect, as mdse. : IRR.
53. Hog's home : STY
57. Family group : CLAN
58. Suffix for the wealthy : AIRE. (millionaire)
59. Protect : GUARD
64. "Top Chef" judge Simmons : GAIL. Chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges on the cable television network Bravo. Gail Simmons was born in Toronto, Canada, and has been a judge on the show from the start.
65. Like mentors vis-à-vis mentees, usually : OLDER
66. Complete collections : SETS
67. Differ ender : ENCE. (Difference)
68. High-maintenance : NEEDY
Down:
1. Estuary : RIA. That part of the mouth a river in which the river's current meets the sea's tide.
2. LAX touchdown : ARR. (Arrival)
3. Drinking binge : JAG
4. Color similar to turquoise : AQUA
5. __ Nevada mountain range : SIERRA
6. Bereft (of) : DEVOID
8. Setting for saloons and shootouts : WILD WEST
9. Regardless of : DESPITE
10. Beer grain : BARLEY
11. Rhett Butler's final words : A DAMN. Everyone should have it this time,
12. Yes-Bob connection : SIREE
13. Wooden Mortimer : SNERD. Mortimer Snerd was the secondary dummy of Edgar Bergen, and appeared with Bergen and Charlie McCarthy.
21. "All Things Considered" airer : NPR. National Public Radio.
22. Templo Mayor worshiper : AZTEC. The Templo Mayor was one of the main temples of the Aztecs in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City.
23. Alberta natives : CREEs
24. Renovate : FIX UP
25. Frightening : SCARY
29. Health care gp. : HMO
30. Devoutness : PIETY
33. Mine transports : TRAMS
34. Attempt to strike : HIT AT
35. Black wood : EBONY
37. Loses, as winter fur : SHEDS
38. Dutch artist Piet : MONDRIAN. Not my cup of tea but here is a Google's worth of his art.
40. Also : AND
43. Résumé length, often : ONE PAGE
45. Raises, as a subject, with "in" : BRINGS
46. Brazilian supermodel Bündchen : GISELE. Nice image.
47. The Magic of the NBA : ORL. The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida.
48. Washington rival, in college sports : OREGON. The states.
49. Bremen brew : BECKS
50. Stan's sidekick : OLLIE. Laurel and Hardy
51. __-garde : AVANT
55. Old Norse mariner : ERIC the Red.
56. Eggnog season : YULE
60. Suffix with Gator : ADE
61. Wine choice : RED
62. Wine choice : DRY. Shiraz, just love the name.
Argyle
